Truck bed composed of modular assemblies

ABSTRACT

A hidden storage system incorporated in the bed of a vehicle without altering the bed&#39;s external appearance or various contours thereof, and without revealing the storage system by assembly of modules containing various individual components. The storage system is located adjacent the wheel well sections of the bed, and uses hinges to open and close fender/side panel sections of the bed, either upwardly, downwardly or sideways. Since the storage system does not alter the truck&#39;s external appearance, it reduces the attraction for theft. Also, since the storage area does not extend inwardly beyond the conventional wheel wells, the storage system leaves most of the truck bed free for use. The hidden storage system may be incorporated into the bed of various side panel configurations without detracting from the appearance of the side panels configurations.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.09/183,851 filed Oct. 30, 1998, which is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S.application Ser. No. 08/896,388 filed Jul. 18, 1997, which is aContinuation-In-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/685,678 filed Jul.24, 1996, now abandoned, which is a Continuation-In-Part of U.S.application Ser. No. 08/506,893 filed Jul. 26, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No.5,567,000 issued Oct. 22, 1996.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to hidden storage beds for vehicles, suchas pickup trucks, particularly to a hidden storage bed assembly methodfor such vehicles, and more particularly to an improved modularfabrication and assembly method for vehicle hidden storage beds withoutsubstantially altering the external appearance of the beds.

Pickup and small trucks have long been a means for transporting and/orstoring tools, materials, etc. for various trades, such as plumbing,electrical, construction, repair, etc. While conventional tool boxes,which generally extend across the pickup bed, are a convenient toolstorage approach, such take up a great deal of space and thus reduce thecarrying capacity. Also, the conventional pickup beds have been removedand replaced with utility type beds of various types, such asexemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,773 issued Dec. 7, 1993 to G. Kalis,Jr. et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,245,713 issued Apr. 12, 1966 to D. A.Ogilvie, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,695 issued Aug. 11, 1987 to R. C.LeVee. In addition, the pickup truck body and/or beds have been modifiedto provide storage/utility space, such as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No.4,917,430 issued Apr. 17, 1990 to M. A. Lawrence, and U.S. Pat. No.3,727,971 issued Apr. 17, 1973 to M. L. Sisler.

While these prior storage/utility arrangements have been satisfactoryfor their intended purpose, such are an attraction for theft as well ashaving an appearance of a utility bed. Thus, there has been a need for astorage system for conventional (non-utility type) pickup truck bedswhich does not alter the bed's external appearance or significantlyreduce the interior size of the bed, thereby reducing the tool theftproblem while providing space for hidden storage without significantreduction of the bed's carrying capacity.

This need has been filled by the invention described and claimed inabove-referenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,000, which involves the conversionor assembly of a conventional pickup truck bed into a hidden storage bedwithout altering the external appearance of the bed, and may alsoprovide a complimentary design to the external appearance, i.e., bulgedside panels, and without significant reduction in the carrying capacitythereof. This is accomplished by providing storage adjacent the wheelwell area, and along the length of the bed, and providing thefender/side panel of the bed with a hinge and latch arrangement wherebythe fender/side panel can be opened to expose the storage area, orclosed and latched to conceal the storage area. Thus, the conventionalpickup can be used for pleasure or work without the revealing of itsstorage/utility capability, and can be parked in areas where theft wouldlikely occur from conventional tool boxes or utility beds. Also, U.S.Pat. No. 5,823,598 issued Oct. 20, 1998 describes and claimsmodifications of the hidden storage arrangement of above-referenced Pat.No. 5,567,000.

Methods have been developed for fabrication and assembly of the hiddenstorage beds, as well as for conversion of a conventional pickup bed,for example, into a hidden storage bed, and such methods have beendescribed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,784,769 issued Jul. 28, 1998and U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,390 issued Oct. 13, 1998. The present inventionprovides an improved method of fabricating and/or assembling the hiddenstorage beds, and involves a modular approach to both the fabrication ofcomponents and assembly of the bed. It has been found that certain ofthe individual bed components can be fabricated together forming amodule, thus eliminating the assembly of these components, and thatsections of the bed can be fabricated or preassembled into modularcomponents, whereby final assembly of the hidden storage bed can becarried out by modular assembly, thereby reducing costs of fabricationand/or assembly of the bed components.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hidden storagesystem for a bed, such as a conventional pickup truck bed, withoutsubstantially altering the external appearance of the bed.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method forfabricating components of a vehicle bed with a hidden storage systemtherein.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method forfabrication/assembly of a conventional type pickup truck bed with hiddenstorage capability and without a significant reduction in the carryingcapacity thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a modular method forfabricating/assembling a vehicle bed with storage capability withoutsubstantially altering the external appearance of the bed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a modular fabricationand/or assembly method for a vehicle bed with a hidden storage systemwherein at least portions of the side panels or fender/side panels ofthe bed are hinged to allow access to a storage area.

Another object of the invention is to reduce theft potential from ahidden storage bed of pickup trucks, etc. using a modularfabrication/assembly method to produce hidden storage areas in the bedwithout substantially altering the external appearance of the bed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description and accompanying drawings. The inventioninvolves a hidden storage system for conventional (non-utility type)vehicle beds, such as pickup truck beds, that can be installed in anyfleetside, flareside, stepside, etc. bed, as well as beds using dualwheel housings, without substantially altering the bed's appearance.This vehicle bed may be mounted on any size truck frame up to and abovethe one-ton or king-cab type truck, as well as on trailers having sidepanels. The hidden storage system is installed in the wheel well area ofthe bed, and uses hinges to open and close at least sections of one orboth of the side panels or fender/side panels of the bed. The sidepanels or one or both of the hinged sections of the fender/side panelsare provided with a latching/lock mechanism. Since the hidden storagesystem only involves the area of bed adjacent the wheel wells, it doesnot significantly reduce the carrying capacity of the bed. The storageboxes for the system may extend over the wheel wells and down to the bedor may only cover the areas in front of, back of, or above the wheelwells, etc. By providing a hidden storage system for a pickup truck bed,the potential of theft therefrom is substantially reduced since theunaltered appearance of the bed's external surfaces would not lead oneto a realization that it contained tools, etc. While the hidden storagesystem can be initially fabricated in the bed, such as on an assemblyline, or existing beds can be converted to include the system asdescribed in above-referenced Pat. Nos. 5,784,769, 5,823,598 and5,819,390, the present invention provides a method by which individualcomponents of the bed can be fabricated and/or assembled as modules,thereby simplifying the fabrication and assembly time and thus reducingthe costs associated therewith.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form a partof the disclosure, illustrate an embodiment of the hidden storage systemand fabrication/assembly methods for producing the system and, togetherwith the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a view of a side of a conventional pickup truck bed which hasbeen modified to incorporate the storage system under the closedfender/side panel of the bed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the FIG. 1 pickup truck bed illustrating thestorage boxes and fender/side panels, with the tail gate closed.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a fleetside or styleside light duty pickupbed incorporating the hidden storage system.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a stepside light duty pickup bedincorporating the hidden storage system.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a conventional pickup truck bed incorporatingthe hidden storage system as in the FIGS. 1-2 embodiment except that theside panel includes three hinged sections.

FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a collapsible support frame for thestorage system which functions as a bed support and as a fuel tankprotection system.

FIG. 7 illustrates a modular assembly method of the components of thehidden storage bed which are incorporated into the collapsible supportframe of FIG. 6.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate mechanical and electrical lock/latch mechanismsfor securing the hinged side panels, such as those shown in FIGS. 1-2and 16.

FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate embodiments of strut assemblies for retaininga hinged side panel section in open condition, with FIG. 11incorporating a thermostatically controlled heating to arrangement forsevere cold weather use.

FIGS. 12A and 12B are exploded views of a modular fabricated hiddenstorage pickup bed made in accordance with the present invention, withFIG. 12B utilizing a plurality of hinged side panel sections.

FIG. 13 illustrates an exploded view of the basic structural componentsof a modular fabricated hidden storage bed showing only the floor,bulkhead and side panel support structures.

FIG. 14 is an exploded view of another hidden storage modular bedassembly which utilizes common designed for manufacturing (DFM)structural components for various side panel contours, such as thecontours of pickup beds produced by GENERAL MOTORS, FORD, DODGE, orcustomized beds, etc., wherein specific exterior components (sidepanels) for the individual manufacturers can be readily attached.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged showing of a section of the Figure 14 hiddenstorage modular bed assembly with the hinged side panel section mountedon a support structure via a spaced hinge arrangement.

FIGS. 16 and 17A-17B illustrate side views of an embodiment of a hiddenstorage system similar to FIGS. 1-2 with the hinged side panel open toillustrate a modular storage configuration that can be incorporatedtherein, a similar modular configuration being illustrated in FIG. 17,which includes at least one storage pocket in the hinged side panel asshown in FIG. 17B.

FIGS. 18-22 each illustrate different modular storage configurationswhich can be attached to the basic hidden storage bed structuralcomponents, such as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15.

FIG. 23 illustrates a view of a hinged side panel assembly of a hiddenstorage system, such as illustrated in FIG. 12, but showing electricalcables, seals, hinge attachments, and rotatory latches therefor.

FIGS. 24-26 illustrate a fuel filler housing assembly for the hiddenstorage system.

FIG. 27 illustrates a side panel having a fuel access flap for use withthe storage system of FIGS. 24-26.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention involves the fabrication of a hidden storagesystem for a pickup truck bed, for example, and involves a method forfabricating a bed to include the hidden system without substantiallyaltering the external appearance of the bed, and without a significantreduction in the carrying capacity of the bed. The storage system may befabricated from various materials including metals, fiberglass,reinforced plastics, molded compounds, and combinations thereof. Whilethe invention is illustrated and described for fleetside or stepsideversions of a pickup bed, it can be installed in any type of bed havingavailable space, and can be installed on larger (one-ton) as well asking-cab vehicles, dual wheel pickup beds, and trailers having sidepanels. The present invention provides an integral hidden trunk, reducesthe theft potential from storage/utility beds while maintaining vehicleappearance and increasing safety of the vehicle by hiding valued itemstherein. The invention utilizes lost space adjacent the wheel wells ofthe bed while maintaining the space between the wheel wells. As known,the space between the wheel wells of a conventional pickup truck bed is,for example, about four (4) feet and the conventional pickup truck bedshave a length of up to eight (8) feet plus, wherein sheets of 8 ft. by 4ft. material, such as plywood, etc. can be carried between the wheelwells, and camper shells, etc. can be positioned in the bed. Also, theinvention utilizes lost space in conventional small or mid-size pickupbeds with less than four foot width between wheel wells and less thaneight foot length, and maintains the space between the wheel wells.However, the space in front and back of the wheel wells is generallyconsidered lost space for large items until material has been stackedabove the height of the wheel wells. Thus, by utilizing the area infront and/or back, and above the wheel wells as hidden storage space,the overall storage/carrying capacity of the bed is increased betweenthe outer fender and inner fender of a stock pickup by removing theinner fender. Here, the term storage space is defined as that space inwhich tools, such as vices, saws, parts, etc. can be stored or mountedfor use, and in which shelves can be secured for retaining such tools orparts, etc. Also, due to the length of a conventional pickup sidepanels, the storage area can be used for skis, golf clubs, fishingequipment, sporting goods, etc. The hinged side panels may be releasedsimilar to a car trunk release by either mechanical or electrical(remote) control. The hidden storage system may be incorporated only infront of, in back of, or over the wheel well.

By the present invention, a conventional pickup truck bed, for example,is initially fabricated to be a hidden storage bed, whereas theinstallation of prior known storage/utility type beds involve thereplacement of the conventional bed. Also, the cost of conversion to ahidden storage bed compared to the cost of the conventional bedreplacement may be substantially less. Upon completion of the hiddenstorage system, either by initial modular fabrication/assembly or byconversion, from a side view, the only difference between the hiddenstorage bed and a conventional bed are one or more vertical lines orsmall spaces where the side panel is cut, as illustrated in FIG. 5, forexample. The hinge or hinges for side panel sections are located on aninner area of the side panel so as not to be exposed to one viewing thebed from an external side position. Thus, one would not readilyrecognize the modification to the bed, and therefore those with intentto steal tools, etc. would not recognize the hidden storage arrangement.

The hidden storage system can be initially fabricated from various typesof materials, as in an assembly line arrangement, wherein the variousparts are initially fabricated, then assembled and painted as the bedpasses from station to station along an assembly line. Also, inaccordance with the present invention, the fabrication and/or assemblyof the bed can be carried out using modules or sub-assemblies containingvarious components of the bed. The bed and the hidden storage system maybe fabricated from various suitable materials including metals,fiberglass, molded composites, plastics, etc.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a conventionalappearing pickup truck generally indicated at 10 having a cab 11, bed12, frame or undercarriage 13 and includes hinged side panels 15, a taillight arrangement 16, a hinged tail gate 17 and wheel wells 18 whichextends over wheel 14. However, the bed 12 of FIGS. 1 and 2 has beenmodified in accordance with the present invention, with the onlyindication of such modification being the cut, small space, or lines 19in the side panels 15 below tail light 16, as shown in FIG. 1, with theside panel being closed. Note that in this embodiment the hinged sidepanels 15 terminate adjacent sections of the side panel secured to theframe or undercarriage 13 as indicated by the lines 20 and 21, and thefront edges of the hinged bed side panels are indicated at 22, where theside panels 15 contact a front panel or bulkhead 23 of the bed 12.

As seen in FIG. 2, the hidden storage area is provided by storage orstructure boxes 24 and 25 mounted within the bed 12 and forward,rearward and over the wheel wells 18, the boxes 24 and 25 beingconstructed to cover the wheel wells 18, but not extend to the top orupper surface 26 of bed 12 so as not to be seen from an external view,and terminate in spaced relation to tail gate 17. The top of the storageboxes extend along the bed at a height equal to line 27 in FIG. 1. Sidepanels 15 include a fender section 28. A lock mechanism is mounted inthe rear of each of boxes 24 and 25 and activates latch mechanisms whichinclude latch members located in spaced relation along the bed 12, andwhich cooperate with corresponding latch members in side panel 15, asshown in FIGS. 8 and 9. As seen in FIG. 8, the latch members areinterconnected by a cable which is connected to the lock mechanism, orare connected electrically as shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 3 illustrates in exploded view an embodiment of a fleetside orstyleside version of a light duty pickup truck bed incorporating thehidden storage system, and which can be initially fabricated as a unit,or which can be formed by conversion of an existing bed. The initialfabrication process or method is described in detail hereinafter.

As shown in FIG. 3, the hidden storage system comprises side panelassemblies 41 for either a short or long bed, wheelhouse panels 42,storage housing assemblies 43 for either a short or long bed, a frontpanel 44, a floor panel 45 for either a short or long bed, a floor sill46, a door panel assembly 47, door panel hinges 48, panel door gascharged shock absorbers 49, a tailgate assembly 50, a storage boxhandle, lock and latch assembly 51, storage shelving assemblies 52, doorpanel lock and latch assemblies 53, tailgate striker 54, tailgate outerhinge 55, tailgate latch and cable assembly 56, tailgate inner hinge 57,tailgate latch rods 58, tailgate handle 59, tailgate bezel handle 60, awheel opening 61, a side panel shield 62, and a panel door gasket 63.While only one part or component is shown for simplicity in certaininstances it has a corresponding component on an opposite side notshown. Different components may be fabricated from different materials,and can be manufactured using existing technology.

As shown in FIG. 4, the hidden storage system can be incorporated into astepside version of a light duty pickup truck bed, and comprises sidepanels 71 for long or short beds, fenders 72, only one shown, panelstorage box assembly 73, front panel 74, floor panel 75 for long orshort beds, a floor sill 76, door panel assembly 77, hidden door hinges78, gas charged shock absorbers or lift struts 79, tailgate assembly 80,latch lock and cable assembly 81, fender brackets 82, door panel lockand latch assemblies 83, tailgate striker 84, tailgate outer hinge 85,tailgate latch and cable assembly 86, inner hinge 87, latch rods 88,tailgate handle 89, bezel handle 90, wheel openings 91, fender rearbrace 92, fender front brace 93, front and rear step pads 94, and doorpanel assembly gasket 95. While certain parts are shown singly forsimplicity, corresponding parts not shown are utilized on the oppositeside of the bed.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a pickup bed similar to FIGS. 1 and2, with a hidden storage system mounted in the side panels thereof, butwith three hinged side panel sections, and wherein the tail lightassembly moves with the rearmost hinged side panel section. Similarcomponents will be given corresponding reference numerals. The bedindicated generally at 10' is mounted on a frame, not shown, connectedto a cab 11', and includes wheel wells, only one shown, at 18'. Thestorage system of FIG. 5 includes a storage box, not shown, as in FIGS.1-2 and a lock/latch mechanism, as shown in FIGS. 8-9. The bed 10'includes side panels generally indicated at 15' on each side, only oneshown, and each or either of which include three hinged sections 30, 31and 32, with hinged section 30 extending from the front edge 221 of theside panel to an area above the wheel well 18' as indicated by verticalcut line 33, hinged sectional being located above wheel well 18' anddefined by cut line 33 and another vertical cut line 34, with hingedsection 32 extending from cut line 34 to the rear end of bed 10' andincluding tail light assembly 16'. Each of hinged sections 30 and 32 maybe hinged horizontally or vertically so as to open upwardly, downwardly,or sideways, and may terminate along lines 35 and 36, or extend to thebottom of side panel sections 13'. Hinged section 31 is hingedhorizontally and thus can be either raised or lowered. If section 31 ishinged at a lower end, it can be designed on the inner surface thereofto provide a work bench, and if hinged at the upper end, one or moreslidable compartments or shelves, as described hereinafter with respectto FIGS. 16 and 22 may be mounted behind the hinged section 31 of theside panel, or if desired, can be hinged to open downwardly withslidable shelves or compartments located therebehind. While not shown,the storage box on each side of bed 10' may have a height equal to theheight of the side panels 15', or may have a height less than the heightof the side panels, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-2. Hinged sections30, 31 and 32 may be optionally provided with a flush type handle latchon handle 37 and key lock 38, but unexposed latch and lock means asshown in FIGS. 8 and 9 are preferred.

The hidden storage system, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-2 and 5, forexample, may be provided with support/safety mechanisms, as illustratedin FIGS. 6 and 7, which comprise a pair of collapsible beams. Uponimpact from a side of the storage system, the beams collapse rather thanbending, thereby preventing rupture or puncture of a fuel tank,typically located beneath the bed of a pickup.

As seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, a vehicle 100, such as a pickup truck, havingframe members 101 is provided with a hidden storage bed 103 having sidepanel/fenders 104, such as seen in FIGS. 1-2. A pair of collapsiblesupport beams 105 are mounted across the frame members 101 and extendoutwardly so as to terminate inside the side panel/fenders 104. As seenin FIG. 6, each of the collapsible support beams 105 is composed of acentral section 106 and end sections 107 and 108 that are constructed toextend into central section 106. Beams 105 may be U-shaped, square,rectangular, circular, etc. in configuration. The length of the centralsection 106 and the length of end sections 107 and 108 is determined bythe width of the bed 103. The end sections 107 and 108 may be spotwelded or bonded, for example, at a desired point to central section106, and upon impact the spot weld or bond is broken, and the impactedend section collapses into the central section 106 which prevents thebed 103 from bending downward toward the fuel tank located beneath thebed. The collapsible support frame of FIG. 6 is not needed in modularsystems, such as FIGS. 12A-12B and 14-15, but is of special benefit forwide or extra width beds.

FIG. 7 illustrates a modular assembly approach for the hidden storagebed of FIG. 6 utilizing the collapsible support members or beams. Asshown schematically in FIG. 7, the bed generally indicated at 110 isbasically composed of five modules or assemblies comprising a floorassembly 111 to which collapsible support beams 112 are mounted orconnected, a bulkhead assembly 113, a tailgate assembly 114, and a pairof side panel assemblies 115 having connected thereto tail lightassemblies 116 and 117. Side panel assemblies 115 are provided withopenings 118 into which collapsible support beams 112 extend. Floorassembly 111 includes a pair of support posts 119, only one shown, towhich the rear of side panel assemblies 115 are secured. The side panelassemblies 115 may be constructed as illustrated in FIGS. 1-2, forexample, or constructed to include a plurality of hinged side panelsections, as illustrated in FIG. 5, wherein the tail light assembliesare hinged to open with the side panel. If desired, an optional keyentry or slot 115' may be incorporated into side panel assemblies 115 torelease the side panel. Also, electrical--solenoid activated locks--canbe utilized.

FIG. 8 and 9 schematically illustrate embodiments of a mechanical typeand an electrical type of latch/lock mechanism for a hidden storagesystem of a pickup bed, such as shown in FIGS. 1-2 and 5, but thelatch/lock mechanism can be utilized in the hidden storage system of anyof the hidden storage systems of FIGS. 12-23, for example. Since thelatch/lock mechanism is not visible from an external view of thevehicle, such is considered to be a hidden mechanism and is so definedherein. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the latch mechanism is cableactuated. As shown, a vehicle indicated at 120 containing a hiddenstorage system generally indicated at 121 which includes a storage boxas above described, and which includes at least one hinged side panel122, and provided with an end gate or rear door 123, includes a lockrelease mechanism generally indicated at 124, having a keyed or keylesslock, not shown, and located at the rear of the storage system andspaced as indicated at 125 from the rear door 123. By this arrangement,the lock release mechanism 124 can be actuated from the inside of thevehicle without opening the end gate or door 123. The latch mechanismconstructed of cooperating components are indicated at 126-126',127-127', 128-128', and 129-129', with components 126, 127, 128 and 129secured to the vehicle 120 or storage box within the enclosed area,while cooperating components 126', 127', 128' and 129' are secured tothe inner and lower edge of the hinged side pane 122, such that when theside panel 122 is lowered, the components of the latch mechanisminterconnect. The components 126-129 each include a movable releasemember 130, which is actuated by a cable 131 connecting the lock releasemechanism 124 via a lever 132 of the lock mechanism 124. Thus, uponmovement outwardly of lever 132 as indicated by arrow 134, the lockmechanism 124 is activated. Thus, upon movement outwardly of lever 132,as indicated by arrow 134, the cable 131 activates the movable releasemember 130, where latch components 126'-129' are released fromcomponents 126-129, and the hinged side panel 122 can be raised asillustrated. To re-secure the side panel 122 when lowered, the lever 132of lock release mechanism 124 is moved inwardly, as indicated by arrow134, whereby the activation cables 131 and release member 130 enablelatch mechanism components 126-129 and 126'-129' to be reengaged forretaining the side panel 122 in a secured closed condition. Varioustypes of mechanical lock/latch mechanisms are commercially available andthus a detailed description of a specific embodiment is deemedunnecessary. However, the lock/latch mechanism should be constructed toprevent the side panel 122 from being easily pried open. Some knownlock/latch mechanisms require a 1500 pound pry to open same.

FIG. 9 illustrates an electrically activated lock/latch mechanism, andis constructed similar to that of FIG. 8 except that electric solenoidsand electric leads replace the activation cables of FIG. 8 and the lockrelease mechanism requires only a push button or key to actuate thelatch mechanism via the solenoids. Also, the lock mechanism may beremotely controlled, such as by well known vehicle security key/locksystems. As shown in FIG. 9, the lock release mechanism 124' is locatedat the rear of the storage box and spaced from the end gate or rear door123 as indicated at 125. Cooperating latch mechanisms 126-126',127-127', 128-128' and 129-129' are mounted on bed 121 and side panel122 as described above in FIG. 8. Each of latch mechanism components126, 127, 128 and 129 are provided with a solenoid 136, 137, 138 and 139which are connected to lock release mechanism 124' via electrical leads140, 141, 142, 143 and 144. To release the latch mechanism to enableopening of the side panel 122, the lock release mechanism 124' isactivated, such as by a push button, key, or combination, as known inthe art, which activates solenoids 136-139 thereby moving movablemembers 130 to allow latch components 126'-129' to be released fromlatch components 126-129, allowing side panel 122 to be opened. Sincesolenoid activated lock/latch mechanisms are well known in theautomotive art, further description is deemed unnecessary.

While FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate embodiments of the lock/latch mechanism124 and with the lock release mechanism 124' located at the rear of thestorage box, the lock release mechanism can be located at the front ofthe storage box, or if an electrical lock/release system is used, as inFIG. 9, the lock release mechanism 124' can be located in the glove box,behind the driver's seat, or elsewhere in the vehicle. If desired, a keyactuated lock release mechanism can be installed in a hinged side panelsection, but such would be visible from an external view of the vehicleand therefore would not be desirable in that the hidden aspect of thestorage system would be reduced.

While the FIGS. 8-9 embodiments have illustrated the use of four (4)latch mechanisms, that number may be less for a single hinged sidepanel. Where the hinged side panel is composed of side panel sections,as in FIG. 5, each hinged section should include one or more latchmechanism, either mechanical or electrical. Also, where the side panelsections are hinged to open downwardly, the location of the cooperatinglatch mechanism components may be different and, for example, such maybe secured to the sides of the hinged side panel sections and to acooperating location on the storage box.

As pointed out above, the side panels are provided with means forretaining same in open position, such as by conventional torsion springsor strut assemblies, widely used in the automotive field for retainingopen rear windows or doors. However, hinges also commercially availablewhich are constructed to retain a door or window open, and thus could beutilized in the hinged side panels, particularly those that are hingedto open downward or sideways. The use of strut assemblies is generallypreferred for upwardly opening side panels, but struts havedisadvantages when operating in extreme temperature conditions, eitherhot or cold. This problem is resolved by the strut assembliesillustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11 wherein insulation and/or heatingtherefor is provided. FIG. 10 illustrates a conventional strut assemblywith insulation about the body member, while FIG. 11 additionallyillustrates an electrical heating strip for a conventional strut.However, the heating strip of FIG. 11 can be incorporated into theinsulated strut assembly of FIG. 10. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, thestrut indicated at 150 comprises a body member 151 having a connectormember 152 at one end, and a plunger member or rod 153 having aconnector member 154 reciprocally mounted in body member 151, and whichis sealed in member 151 as known in the art. The body member 151 rod/153may be provided with a conventional fluid or air arrangement whichallows the rod 153 to be moved in or retained in the body member 151. InFIG. 10, the body member 151 is provided with a layer 155 of insulationmaterial and a protective layer or sleeve 156 about the insulationlayer. However, depending on the composition of the insulation layer155, the protective sleeve or layer 156 may not be needed. In FIG. 11,which is constructed as in FIG. 10, the body member 151 is additionallyprovided with one or more electrical heating strips 157, only one shown,which would be electrically connected by electrical leads 158 via athermostat 158, to the power supply 159 of the vehicle on which thestrut is utilized. The electrical heating strip(s) 157 is positionedbetween the body member 151 and the insulation layer 155, whereby aheated/insulated strut is provided to withstand either extremely high orextremely low temperatures. However, the body member 151 may be providedwith one or more heating strips, if desired. Instead of the strutassemblies, spring hinges or hydraulic hinge mechanisms can be used.

The invention involves a method for carrying out initial fabrication ofa vehicle bed for pickup trucks, for example, which incorporates thehidden storage system. The method may be carried out via an assemblyline operation as described with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4, or by amodular method as described with respect to FIGS. 7 and 12-23. In eithercase, the hidden storage system is incorporated into a vehicle bed withsubstantially no change in the appearance of the external side panel orfender/side panel of the bed. The side panels may be contoured accordingto any design or width desired, as well as to include fenders of anyconfiguration, including expanded or bulged side panels and/or fenders.

In addition, a conversion method, such as described in above-referencedPat. No. 5,784,769 can be utilized to enable damaged beds or existingundamaged beds to be modified to include the hidden storage system. Inthe case of damaged beds, new fender/side panels and hidden storageassembly components are prefabricated in a jig system platform assemblysimilar to the initial fabrication method described hereinafter, butwithout the bed panel, front panel and tailgate assemblies, asillustrated in either of FIGS. 3 or 4. These prefabricated hiddenstorage system components are available for four-five foot, six foot,seven foot, 8 foot and larger pickup truck bed lengths, as manufacturedfor any light duty truck, including the dual rear-wheel and king-cabtrucks.

Original Equipment Manufacturing (OEM) Assembly Sequence

1. The manufacturing production and assembly of the hidden storagesystem begins in the forming and molding fabrication section. This isaccomplished by means of stamp forming sheet metal into the pickup truckbed components in hydraulic presses with accompanying dies, breaks andshears.

2. Manufacture of the hidden storage system components may also beaccomplished by means utilizing SMC (Sheet Molded Compounds) compositematerials in molded or sheet goods, fiberglass reinforced resins, orother molding compounds.

3. Roll or flat stock forming sheet metal (with a thin coat of formingoil) is fed into a sizing shear die or forming die, if the material ispre-cut The process continues through subsequent sizing and forming diewhich progressively shape the bed panels for the front end, floor,wheelhouse, exterior and interior door and tailgate. Reinforcement,bulkhead, clips and shelving components are fabricated similarly bystandard of the industry techniques. Metal structural components in thebed are not substituted with SMC material, but may be integrated forattachments and reinforcements.

4. All metal components, or SMC or composite fabricated components, areplaced into an inventory system for final assembly. This manufacturingassembly procedure utilizes a JIT (just-in-time) parts system.

5. The final assembly of the fabricated and vendor outsourced componentsbegin with feeding parts into a manual or a computer automated mainassembly line conveyor or platform skid system by means of a marriedcomputer automated spur conveyor system. Parts are fed upon demandcontrolled by a computer sequencer operation.

6. The basic bed structural components are conveyed to the automaticpin-fit jib robotic welding platform system, or manual fixture system,which positions and locks the bed components of floor panel, front endpanel, inside storage box panels, wheelhouse and tailgate bulkhead panelinto a precise tolerance weld-up or bonding by means of utilizing stateof the art robotic welding machines or bonding adhesives and associatedplatform positioning equipment.

7. The robotic welding machines retract and the jig system reverseslockup closure of the welded bed components allowing the chain conveyoror platform to lift the bed into the next assembly sequence of boltingthe pre-assembled tailgate door and hidden storage exterior door panelinto the assembly held in position by means of special wire restraintsto prop open the doors and tailgate for priming and final paintingsystems application.

8. The assembled bed proceeds into a highly illuminated booth to allowvisual Q&A (quality and assurance) inspection for dolly patching,grinding and sandout correction of any minor surface imperfections priorto primer application. Special brazing or bonding is also accomplishedat this stage in stress areas at the upper portion of the inside cornersof the tailgate bulkhead.

9. After exiting the inspection and surface correction station, the bedprogresses through a deionized water spray bed paint surfaceconditioning booth and then continues to be conveyed into the immersionprimer bath. The welded bed is primed by means of an immersion bathsystem. The bed enters and leaves the primer bath at inclined positionsto allow entrapped primer material to quickly drain from the bed andstorage compartment areas. Strategic drain holes are provided to allowexcess primer material to drain from entrapped areas.

10. Primer curing is accomplished by means of conveying the bE through aheated tunnel drying booth until the temperature reaches approximately345-350 degrees Fahrenheit (250 degrees for composite fiberglassmaterial) for the recommended time specified by the paint manufactureras sufficient to cure the metal protection primer coat. bed thenprogresses along the conveyor allowing cooling of the bed. The bedcontinues to progress into a second inspection station whereby the bedis highly illuminated by means of a lighting system along the walls areceiling soffit areas allowing visual inspection for primer coatimperfections.

11. The next station is used to accomplish manual surface sanding of anysurface defect, and hand spray touch up of the areas requiringcorrection of any minor aberrations found in the paint film surface.Rapid paint curing of touch up areas is accelerated by utilizing anultraviolet lamp or heat lamp which travels with the conveyed bed forapproximately 8 minutes.

12. Caulking is then strategically applied over bed fabrication seams bymeans of a hand held caulking gun with controlled pressure fed in aprecisely controlled manner, forming a smooth caulk bead for aestheticreasons and preventing moisture from entering the bed joints to inhibithidden rust formation, and collection of unsightly dirt or debris.

13. After the drying booth and visual inspection sequence, the bedcontinues into the final color paint booth. Paint color is re-selectedand is automatically applied by means of a robotic turbo head paintapplicator onto the bed. The bed is negatively charged and the paint ispositively charged. The paint precipitates onto the bed componentselectrostatically. Since some composite parts use resin color fillers,precluding the need for paint, special fillers are placed in thecomposite parts to facilitate conduction of paint when used.

14. Paint mil thickness application, obtained by means of controllingthe application term, fluid flow and speed of the robot. Inside ofcorners will require hand gun touch up paint application to obtain thespecified mil thickness where discreet electrostatic precipitationdeficiencies occur due to the physics inherent to automaticelectrostatic paint application.

15. The bed paint drying and cure will then be processed by means of atunnel oven which will allow temperature and time cure of the finalpaint coating. Heat is increased to a maximum of 345 degrees F. andslowly cooled as it progresses to the final visual inspection station.

16. The final visual quality assurance inspection is undertaken by themeans of a high illumination booth. Units with surfacial imperfectionsin the paint are removed from the line and individually repairedmanually with standard paint rub out techniques with re-coat asrequired. Re-coat paint cure is accelerated with an ultraviolet paintlamp or heat lamp applied to the re-coat surface for approximately 8-10minutes.

17. The bed continues along the assembly line conveyor through finalassembly component stages whereby the tailgate and hidden storage doorhardware, including strikers, latches, locks, handles, cables,solenoids, alarms, hidden latch assemblies, perimeter and specialty doorgaskets, storage compartment drain check valving, wiring harnesses, taillight assemblies, shelving, shelving clips, shelving liners andmanufacturing decals are manually installed or applied.

18. Final quality assurance inspection for form, fit and function isperformed as the bed exits the assembly line. Special pVC plastic filmis placed over bed areas subject to transport damage, and gas hatchcovers to prevent opening by wind pressure.

19. The finished bed or modular components are lifted by means of aforklift and placed into a special rack designed for truck inter-modeland low boy trailer shipment to stocking distributors. Bulk shipment ofmodular components may also be used.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exploded view of a modular approach to thefabrication and/or assembly of a hidden storage bed utilizing thecollapsible support members or beams, as described above with respect toFIG. 6. As shown schematically in FIG. 7, the bed 110 is basicallycomposed of five modules or assemblies comprising a floor assembly 111,a bulkhead assembly 113, a tailgate assembly 114, and a pair of sidepanel assemblies 115, having connected thereto tail light assemblies 116and 117.

Modular Manufacturing and Assembly Sequence

Utilizing conventional molding and manufacturing techniques involvingvarious materials including metals, fiberglass and composite plastics ofdifferent types, various components can be manufactured and/or assembledin modules, whereafter the various modules are assembled to produce thehidden storage bed. One such modular assembly approach is illustrated inFIGS. 7 and 16-22.

The broad concept of modular fabrication and assembly is illustrated inFIG. 7 wherein modular assemblies 111, 113, 114 and 115 are manufacturedand/or assembled prior to these modular assemblies being securedtogether. Thus, the various modular assemblies 111, 113, 114 and 115 canbe produced at different or at the same facility in which they arefinally assembled. For example, the collapsible support beams 112 (seeFIG. 6) can be manufactured in one facility and forwarded to a facilitywhere the floor assembly is manufactured and/or assembled. The bulkheadassembly 113 and tail gate assembly 114, which are conventionalcomponents, can be manufactured/assembled and shipped to the location offinal assembly. The side panel assemblies 115 can bemanufactured/assembled at the final assembly facility or elsewhere, andare constructed in accordance with a user's need. For example, thestorage box and the hinged side panel, as shown in FIGS. 1-2 and 16, mayextend the entire length of floor assembly 111, or the side panel andstorage box may be manufactured to be located in front of or behind thewheel well. Also, the side panel can be hinged along a lower endthereof, or be split either horizontally or vertically into sections(see FIG. 5) which may be hinged to open either upwardly, downwardly orsideways, depending on the need of the user.

The side panel assemblies of FIG. 7 may also be manufactured/assembledto provide a desired shelf/compartment arrangement within the storagebox. While FIG. 16, described hereinafter, illustrates slidable,rotating or swingout, and adjustable shelf arrangements, the shelves mayextend to full length of the storage box to accommodate storage of itemssuch as skis and ski equipment, golf bags, etc., or the storage box maybe assembled to include a plurality of compartments or shelves for thestorage of small parts, such as illustrated in FIGS. 17-22, describedhereinafter. Thus, a potential user can order a desiredshelving/compartment arrangement and such can be initiallymanufactured/assembled into the side panel assemblies of FIG. 7.

While not shown, the tail gate assembly and floor assembly, for example,would be manufactured/assembled to include the necessary hinges, locksand retaining mechanisms normally utilized for a conventional tail gateassembly, such as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Also, not shown in FIG. 7 isthe lock/latch mechanism for the side panels. The side panel assembliescan be secured to the floor assembly either after or prior to theattachment of the bulkhead assembly to the floor assembly. Theassemblies 111, 113 and 115 can be interconnected by conventionaltechniques, such as welding, spot-welding, etc., whereafter theassembled bed may be painted and readied for installation on a vehicle.

FIG. 12A illustrates another modular approach for fabrication andassembly of a conventional pickup bed with a hidden storage systemincorporated therein, and is constructed to be assembled on thestructural framework illustrated in FIG. 13. As shown in FIG. 12A, thecomponents comprise interior side wall modules 160 and 161, storage boxmodules 162 and 163, side panel modules 164 and 165, which include thetail light assemblies, and a tail gate module 166. The storage boxmodules 162 and 163 include hinges 167 and struts 168 for attachment ofthe side panel modules 164 and 165, as well as supports indicated at 169for shelving. The supports can include a bracket with Velcro strips, orthe shelves can be held in by Velcro brackets.

FIG. 12B illustrates a modular assembly like FIG. 12A with the exceptionthat the side panels include three hinged sections, and correspondingcomponents are given similar reference numerals. As shown in FIG. 12B,the side panel modules 164' and 165' are provided with sections 170, 171and 172, separated by side panel segments 170' and 170' which align withcompartment separators 171' and 171" on the storage box modules 162' and163', and the storage box modules 162' and 163' include hinges 167' foreach of sections 170, 171 and 172. While sections 170 and 172 have beenshown to be hinged at the upper end thereof, the hinges can be mountedat the lower openings in the storage box modules or they can be mountedon the sides of the storage box modules 162' and 163' to provide avertical hinge arrangement whereby the sections 170 and 172 opendownward or sideways, as indicated by arrows, to expose the interior ofthe storage box modules. Note the shelf slide arrangement 169' for aslidable shelf under panel section 171, as indicated by arrows andlegends, which may slide out/hinge up or down.

FIG. 13 illustrates a floor module 173, a bulkhead module 174, andstorage box structural support modules 175 and 176 which may befabricated of a composite material or metal. Floor module 173 includes apair of upright posts 177 and 178 to which ends 179 and 180 ofstructural support modules 175 and 176 are secured, as indicated by dashlines, with support modules 175 and 176, including flanges 181 and 182,to be secured, as by bolts, to bulkhead module 174, as indicated by dashlines. The support modules 175 and 176 may also be spot welded along thelength of floor module 173. The storage box modules 162 and 163 of FIG.12A or modules 162' and 163' of FIG. 12B are attached in structuralsupport modules 175 and 176, as by bolting, spot welding, bonding, orcombination thereof, etc. The interior side wall modules 160 and 161 arethen attached to the storage box modules and to the floor module 173 andbulkhead module 174, as by spot welding, where the tail gate module 166is attached to members 183 and 184 on posts 177 and 178 by members 185and 186 on tail gate module 166, and the side panel modules 164 and 165or 164' and 165', or combinations of 164 and 164', for example, aresecured by hinges 167 or 167' and struts 168 or 168' to the storage boxmodules 162 and 163. Latch mechanisms for the side panel modules areshown at 187 on the storage box modules in FIGS. 12A and 12B, with therelease or handle mechanism shown at 188, mounted on inner wall modules160 and 161. The side panel modules 164-165 or 164'-165' may becontoured according to any design or width desired, as well as toinclude fenders of any configuration. Thus, by mere change of the sidepanel modules, the same hidden storage system can be incorporated intobeds for any pickup truck manufactured, such as GENERAL MOTORS, FORD,DODGE, etc., wherein the side panel modules are contoured to the desiredstyle of the manufacturer.

FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrate another modular fabrication and assemblyapproach wherein the floor module includes a collapsible supportarrangement, as described above with respect to FIGS. 6 and 7, andwherein structural support modules of FIG. 13 are replaced by supportbeams under the floor module, and the side panel modules are hinged onan upper bar assembly. With the exception of the exterior components(side panel modules, the upper bar assembly, and the lower skirtassemblies), all components are common DFM components, thereby reducingtooling requirements, and can be utilized by any bed manufacturer withonly the exterior components being fabricated to a manufacturer'sspecific contours or designs.

As shown in FIG. 14, the bed assembly comprises a floor module 190 withcollapsible support beams 191, only as required for beam supportstrength, and support beams 192 for storage box modules 193, asindicated by a dash-dot line. A bulkhead module 194 is mounted to thefloor module 190, and the storage box modules are constructed to supportand latch a tail gate module 195 via members 196 and 197 which cooperatewith members, not shown, mounted on the storage box modules 193. Anupper support bar assembly 198, having protruding members 199, isadapted to extend into and be secured into openings 200 in storage boxmodules 193, as indicated by a dash-dot line. Support bar assembly 198is provided with the hinge assemblies 201 adapted to be connected toside panel modules 202, while side panel modules 202 are connected bymembers 203 (only one shown) to strut assemblies 204 on storage boxmodules 193. Lower skirt assemblies 205 and 206 are secured by members207 (only one shown) to members 208 on the storage box modules 193.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of components 193, 198, 202, 205 and 206 ofFIG. 14, and in addition illustrates sliding trays or shelves 209 and210, having supports 211 and 212 in an exploded view, showing storagebox supports 213, 214 and 215 for the trays. As seen more clearly inFIG. 15, the storage box modules 193 include storage pockets 216 and 217in front of and behind the wheel well section 218 of the storage boxmodules.

The storage bed system components of the embodiment of FIGS. 12A, 12Band 13, and the embodiment of FIGS. 14 and 15 may be constructed fromether composite (e.g., SMC, LPMC, fiberglass, ABS, polyesters,urethanes) or metal. The exceptions, of course, are those componentsthat need steel bolts, latches, hinges, etc. Assembly can beaccomplished with mechanical bolting, screwing, etc.; welding, brazing,etc.; by structural adhesive bonding; or by a combination thereof.

FIGS. 16-22 illustrate a conventional pickup truck bed with differenthidden storage systems constructed as modular assemblies for assemblyinto the bed. As shown in FIG. 16, the pickup truck, generally indicatedat 220, is an extended cab version with the bed, generally indicated at221, incorporating a hidden storage system, generally indicated at 222,located behind a hinged side panel section 223 of the bed, the hingedside panel section being retained in open position by strut assemblies224. The storage system, as shown in FIG. 16, includes storage pockets216' and 217', sliding trays 225 and 226, and a series of slidable boxes227. The storage system of FIG. 17A is generally similar to FIG. 16except for the configuration of the sliding trays 225' and 226' and thenumber and sizes of the slidable or non-slidable boxes 227'. As seen inFIG. 17B, the hinged side panel may include one or more storage pockets223'. FIG. 18 differs by the use of two layers of shelves or trays, withthe lower layer composed of two sliding trays 230 and 231 withcompartments therein, and a full length shelf 232 with compartments ofvarious sizes therein. FIG. 19 illustrates a storage arrangement, inaddition to the storage pockets 216' and 217', which utilizes removablecomponents, including a full length shelf 233 or a similar shelf 234with two compartments, and removable boxes 235 and 236 adapted to belocated in pockets 216' and 217'. FIG. 20 illustrates a system that, inaddition to the storage pockets 216' and 217', uses a series of slidableboxes or trays of different sizes indicated at 237, 238, 239 and 240.The trays, compartment liners, etc. of FIGS. 18-22 may be composed ofplastic, rubber compounds, etc. FIG. 21 illustrates a single shelf oropen tray 241 that extends the full length of the storage box. FIG. 22illustrates a full length shelf 242 with side members or compartmentliners 243 and a back member or liner 244, and a single unit 245 whichextends over the wheel well 246 and includes pocket sections 247 and 248that extend into pockets 216' and 217'. The storage pockets of FIG. 17Bmay be incorporated into FIGS. 18-22. It is recognized that variousother shelving, tray and box arrangements can be formed into the storagebox modules, such as shown in FIGS. 12A, 12B and FIGS. 14-15, and thatthe arrangement of storage box modules on one side may differ from thatof the other side of the bed, whereby a user may design the two storagebox modules to meet the specific need of that user.

FIG. 23 illustrates an embodiment of a hinged side panel module for ahidden storage bed, such as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 7, 12A, 14 and 16.The hinged side panel module, generally indicated at 250, is composed ofan inner panel 251 and an outer panel 252 secured to the inner panel251, as indicated by dashed lines. Inner panel 251 may include a doorstorage pocket area 251'. The panels 251 and 252 may be formed as asingle unit in a single operation or as two units, as shown, combined byassembly after fabrication, and may be formed of a composite material ora metal. The inner panel 251 is provided with hinge attachments 253,strut assembly attachments 254, latch' recesses 255, reinforcement 256which may be structural foam, and seal assemblies 257. Also, latchcables 258 are secured to the inner surface of panel 251 and to latchmembers 259 located in latch recesses 255. Where the outer panel 252 isutilized by itself, it will be provided with needed reinforcement.

FIGS. 24-27 illustrate a storage box module and an associated hingedside panel module, the storage box module incorporating a fuel fillerassembly. The storage box module, indicated generally at 260, isprovided with hinges 261 and strut assemblies 262, shelf supports 263and 264, pocket storage areas 265 and 266, a safety reflector 267 and afuel filler assembly 268. FIG. 25 illustrates a back view of assembly268 showing the fuel filler neck seal/housing 269, while FIG. 26illustrates a front view of the assembly 268 showing the fuel fillerneck seal retainer 270 and filler closure member 271. As seen in FIG.27, a hinged side panel module 272 covers the opening in storage boxmodule 260, and includes a fuel filler flap 273 controlled by key slot274 to enable access to the fuel filler closure member 271 of fuelfiller assembly 268 of FIG. 24. Skirt assemblies 275 and 276 are fixedlysecured to storage box module 260, as shown in FIG. 24 and describedabove with respect to FIGS. 14-15, but if desired the skirts may beincluded with the hinged side panel module 272.

It has thus been shown that the present invention provides a hiddenstorage arrangement that can be initially built by modular assembly,into a pickup truck bed, for example, without altering the externalappearance of the bed and without a significant reduction in thecarrying capacity of the bed. While the invention has been described,for example, with respect to fleetside and stepside pickup beds, it canbe readily incorporated into other types of pickup beds, such as themid-size and compact, as well as in trailers or full-sized truck bedshaving side panels without detracting from the appearance of the sidepanels, except for any vertical or horizontal cuts therein. Also, thehinged side panel or fender/side panel can be hinged whereby the entireside panel, including the tail light section, can be raised and loweredto eliminate the vertical cut lines. In addition, only sections of theside panel may be hinged to enable horizontal or vertical movement, orthe side panel can be hinged in sections which would require a verticalcut to allow one section to be opened. Also, the entire side panel orsections can be hinged so as to be lowered rather than raised, wherebythe side panel can function as a work bench. If desired, the top rail ofthe bed to which the hinges are mounted may be reinforced to resistbending, such as by a resistive longer metal bend or a series of metalbends comprising a structural element. The modular assemblies comprisingthe hidden storage bed may be fabricated so that all modules except theside panel modules are common to all beds, and thus only the contour ofthe side panel modules need be fabricated to provide the desired designconfiguration of the bed.

While specific embodiments of the storage system fabrication and/orassembly methods, along with modifications thereto of the presentinvention have been described and/or illustrated, such are not intendedto limit the invention. For certain applications, only one storage boxor plural storage boxes on one side may be desired. Beds for pickups,trailers, and trucks are designed with differently constructed sidepanels and frame/undercarriage arrangements. For example, the bed 10 ofFIG. 1 may extend downward to cover the frame or undercarriage, and thusthe side panels 15 would include the skirt areas 13, or a cut, such asindicated at 20 and 21 in FIG. 1, which can be made along a desiredlower portion of the side panels to eliminate the need for raising theentire side panel when the skirt area is part thereof.

While not shown, the hinged side panel sections may be coated on theinner surfaces thereof with insulating and/or sound absorbing materialsutilized conventionally in the automotive industry. Also, if desired,the internal walls of the storage boxes may be coated with similarmaterials. In addition, though not shown, the edges of the side panelsadjacent the hinged sections may be provided with seals similar to theconventional automotive trunk seals to prevent moisture and dust fromentering the storage box when the hinged side panel sections are closed.Also, while the lock/latch mechanism is of a hidden type, not visiblefrom an external view of the bed, the mechanism may include a keyed lockmounted in a hinged side panel section, and/or a handle assembly asshown in FIG. 5, but such would detract from the hidden aspect of thestorage, and thus not be desirable.

Modifications and changes may become apparent to those skilled in theart, and it is intended that the invention be limited only by the scopeof the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A truck bed having a hidden storage therein andconstructed of modular assemblies, comprising:a floor assembly, abulkhead assembly attached to said floor assembly, a tailgate assemblyoperatively connected to at least said floor assembly, a pair ofvertically extending support assemblies mounted to at least said floorassembly, and a pair of side hidden storage/panel assemblies mounted toat least said vertically extending support assemblies, each of said sidehidden storage/panel assemblies forming a hidden storage section and anexternal side panel section of said truck bed, each external side panelsection of said side hidden storage/panel assemblies including at leastone hinged side panel section.
 2. The truck bed of claim 1, wherein eachof said side hidden storage/panel assemblies include a wheel well. 3.The truck bed of claim 1, additionally including a mechanism for atleast retaining said at least one hinged side panel section closed, saidmechanism being selected from the group consisting of electricalmechanisms and mechanical mechanisms.
 4. The truck bed of claim 1wherein said side hidden storage/panel assemblies each include a railmember extending along a length of each of said side hiddenstorage/panel assemblies, said at least one hinged side panel sectionbeing hinged to said rail member.
 5. The truck bed of claim 1, whereinat least one of said pair of side hidden storage/panel assembliesincludes a fuel filler assembly.
 6. A truck bed having a hidden storagetherein and constructed of modular assemblies, comprising:a floorassembly, a bulkhead assembly attached to said floor assembly, atailgate assembly operatively connected to at least said floor assembly,a pair of vertically extending support assemblies mounted to at leastsaid floor assembly, and a pair of side hidden storage/panel assembliesmounted to at least said vertically extending support assemblies, eachof said side hidden storage/panel assemblies including at least onehinged side panel section, said pair of vertically extending supportassemblies comprising a pair of post assemblies mounted to rear cornersections of said floor assembly, each said side hidden storage/panelassembly being mounted to a post assembly and to said bulkhead assembly.7. The truck bed of claim 6, additionally including a collapsiblesupport assembly mounted under said floor assembly.
 8. The truck bed ofclaim 7, wherein said collapsible support assembly comprises a pluralityof collapsible beams, each of said collapsible beams including endsections extending into said pair of side hidden storage/panelassemblies.
 9. A truck bed having a hidden storage therein andconstructed of modular assemblies, comprising:a floor assembly, abulkhead assembly attached to said floor assembly, a tailgate assemblyoperatively connected to at least said floor assembly, a pair ofvertically extending support assemblies mounted to at least said floorassembly, and a pair of side hidden storage/panel assemblies mounted toat least said vertically extending support assemblies, each of said sidehidden storage/panel assemblies including at least one hinged side panelsection, each of said pair of vertically extending support assembliescomprising an interior wall assembly for each of said side hiddenstorage/panel assemblies, each of said interior wall assemblies beingmounted to said floor assembly and mounted to said bulkhead assembly,said side hidden storage/panel assemblies being mounted to at least saidinterior wall assemblies.
 10. The truck bed of claim 9, wherein saidside hidden storage/panel assembly includes a hidden storage section,said at least one hinged side panel section being hinged to cover saidhidden storage section.
 11. The truck bed of claim 10, wherein saidhinged side panel section includes a taillight assembly.
 12. The truckbed of claim 11, wherein said hinged side panel section is composed of asingle hinged assembly.
 13. The truck bed of claim 12, additionallyincluding at least one strut assembly for retaining said single hingedassembly in an open position.
 14. The truck bed of claim 10, whereinsaid hidden storage section includes a wheel well section, and a pair ofpocket assemblies located fore and aft of said wheel well section. 15.The truck bed of claim 10, wherein said hidden storage section includesat least one shelf/compartment.
 16. The truck bed of claim 15, whereinsaid at least one shelf/compartment includes a sliding shelf.
 17. Thetruck bed of claim 10, wherein said hidden storage section includes aplurality of separate compartments.
 18. The truck bed of claim 10,wherein said side panel section includes a plurality of hinged sections,each hinged section being hinged to said hidden storage section.
 19. Thetruck bed of claim 10, wherein said hinged side panel section includeson an inner surface thereof a storage pocket.
 20. A truck bed having ahidden storage therein and constructed of modular assemblies,comprising:a floor assembly, a bulkhead assembly attached to said floorassembly, a tailgate assembly operatively connected to at least saidfloor assembly, a pair of vertically extending support assembliesmounted to at least said floor assembly, and a pair of side hiddenstorage/panel assemblies mounted to at least said vertically extendingsupport assemblies, each of said side hidden storage panel assembliesincluding at least one hinged side panel section, each of said pair ofvertically extending support assemblies comprising a vertical supportmember mounted to a rear corner of said floor assembly, and a frameassembly mounted to said vertical support member and mounted to at leastsaid bulkhead assembly, each of said pair of side hidden storage/panelassemblies being mounted to one of said frame assemblies.
 21. The truckbed of claim 20, wherein said floor assembly includes a plurality ofsupport members extending thereacross, and wherein said frame assemblyincludes a horizontally extending member, and wherein said horizontallyextending member is secured to said plurality of support members of saidfloor assembly.
 22. The truck bed of claim 20, wherein each said frameassembly includes a pair of vertical members and a pair of spacedhorizontal members mounted to said vertical members.